Ore concentrating unit



Feb. 6, 1934. c. LIVINGOOD ORE CONCENTRATING UNIT Filed June 15, 1931 '7 Sheets-Sheet l U.\IVE'NTOR. BY jowm M Feb. 6, 1934. c. LIVINGOOD ORE CONCENTRATING UNIT Filed June 15, 1931 '7 Sheets-Sheet 2 Q km WNM I NV ENTOR.

I TORN E YS Feb. 6, 1934. Q LIVINGQOD 1,946,219

ORE CONCENTRATING UNIT Filed June 13, 1931 '7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Feb. 6, 1934. c. LIVINGOOD 1,946,219

ORE CONCENTRATING UNIT Filed June 15 1931 '7 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR.

Feb. 6, 1934. c. LIVINGOOD 1,946,219

ORE CONCENTRATING UNIT Filed June 13, 1951 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 74 INVENTOR.

m mm Feb. 6, 1934. c. uvmeoon ORE CONCENTRATING UNIT 1931 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed June 15 Feb. 6, c LIVINGQOD ORE CONCENTRATING UNIT Filed June 13, 1951 '7 Sheets-Sheet '7 F 55. 'Fg; E].

INV EN TOR.

Patented Feb. 6, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for concentrating gold or other metals of relatively high specific gravity.

The principal object of my invention is the provision of relatively simple and practicable construction to effect the separation of the valued minerals from the accompanying waste with an extreme economy in power and in the use of water, thus particularly adapting the availability of the mechanism to arid regions.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the following description is read on the drawings forming a part of this specification and in which similar reference characters are used to designate similar parts throughout the several views, of which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional elevation through the invention; H r

Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the unit;

Fig. 4 is a section taken on line 44 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the jig bed;

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of Fig. 5 shown part in section as indicated at 6-6 on Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a section taken on line 7--'7 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary top plan view of the complete jig cells; 7

Fig. 9 is a side elevation, partly in section taken on line 9-9 of Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a longitudinal sectional elevation through the amalgamating cradle.

Fig. 11 is an elevation of the discharge end of the amalgamating cradle;

Fig. 12 is a section taken on line 12-12 of Fig. 10;

Fig. 13 is a fragmentary view of one of the agitating pipes;

Fig. 14 is a top plan view of the amalgamating cradle; V

Fig. 15 is a sectional, longitudinal elevation through the rotary screen;

Fig. 16 is a section taken on line 1616. of Fi 15;

Fig. 17 is a section through the tail wheel for discharging the tails from the jig;

Fig. 18 is a section taken through one of the jig cells showing the valves in the pistons;

Fig. 19 is a bottom plan view of the pistons;

Fig. 20 is a section taken on line 2020 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 21 is a fragmentary front elevation of the invention.

The invention consists of a multi-cell jig indicated in its entirety at 9, an amalgamating cradle indicated in its entirety at 10, a screen indicated in its entirety at 15, a tail wheel 17, together with suitable framing, chutes, drives, tanks and a pump The jig consists of a tank formed with a con with side walls 25 extending throughout the length of the tank, the indents forming seats 26 on which the jig cellsrest and the sidewalls 25 and 21, end walls 22 and 23 and partitions 24 form piston compartments. Spigots 27 are provided'at the lower end of the individual compartments 28 to 31 inclusive for drawing ofi concentrates. An extension 32 permits removalof the jig cells 9. The tank is suitably supported by'the structure or framing of the unit.

, The jig cells consist of a base section 6 and a cell section 8. They base member 6 consists of a rectangular structure having sides 33, ends 34 and 35, transverse partitions 36 adapted to register with partitions 24 in the tank, and longitudinal centrally disposed screen supports 3'7. The sides are cut to saw tooth form having an inclination downward from the head end to the tall end of each cell as indicated at 38 and screen supports 37 are mounted at a similar angle but at a higher level as clearly indicated in Fig. 7. An upwardly extending tail board 39 cooperateswith a recess 40 on the cell section. Screens 41 are secured and cover the openings between the sides and partitions, extending over the screen supports 37.

Channels 42 are formed in the lower corners of of cells 46, 47, 48 and 49, the partitions terminating below the top edge of the sides and converging from the center to both sides as shown at 50. Apertures 51 are formed in the sides in registry with apertures 43 in the base.

Plugs 52 have a collar 53 and extend downwardly through apertures 51 and into aperture 43 which is normally closed thereby, being urged by a spring 54 which cooperates with the bracket 55.

The amalgamating cradle consists of a semicylindrical shell 56 having ends 57 and 58. The discharge end 57 has an aperture 59 formed above the bottom for discharge of material from the cradle. The cradle is suitably supported on a shaft 60 preferably of heavy pipe, one end of secured in blocks62. A plurality of spaced riilles 63, 64 and 65 made of copper are secured to the shell 56 and are semi-circular in form, fitting to the inner surface of the shell. Nipples 66 are connected to the pipe 60 by means of T 67, and headers 68 capped at both ends as at 69 and formed to the inner contour of shell 56 are connected to nipples 66 by means of nipples 69 and unions 70. A plurality of equally spaced pipes 71 are connected to the header 68 and are capped as indicated at 72 and have a multiplicity of small holes 73 formed therein. Suitable reenforcement 74 is provided about the shell.

The screen consists of a pair of spiders 75 and- 76 suitably secured on a shaft 77, the spider'76 having a receiving collar 78 integral therewith, equally spaced apertures for pipes or bars 79 forming a bar screen, a flange 80 fora wire mesh screen, from which a plurality of arms 81 extend outwardly terminating in a rim 82 to which a' tapered cylindrical shell 83 is secured. The spider 75 is provided with apertures to receive the other endof -bars 77, being formed at a greater "dis-- tance from the shaft center than the apertures in spider 76." Arms 84 are integral with a. collar 85 which forms a discharge for the bar screen 78,--and terminate in a rim 86 to which thewire mesh screen 87 is secured and which is provided with th's'ame taper as the'bar screen but spaced therefrom. A filler ring 88 supports the shell 83, the outside'diameter of the ring 88 being less than the rim '82 so as to provide a taper opposite to that of the screens. v

The jig operating-means consists of a piston 89 slidably mounted between the walls 21, 25, 22 and 24 of the piston compartments and having one or more apertures 90 formed therethrough,

the apertures being normally closed by a flap The flap valves valve 91 or other suitable valve. are-preferably formed of rubber and are secured at one edge by means of straps 92 and bolts 93. Sufiicient guide length may be provided by strips 94 where a pivoted connecting rod is used, or the connecting rod may be fixedly secured to the piston and necessary clearance provided between the piston and piston compartment. As indicated in the-drawings, the connectingrod consists of an eccentric collar 95 rotatably fitting the eccentrics 96 and 97 and a threaded adjustable rod 98 threadedly secured in the depending body of the collar and pivotally'secured in a bearing block 99. The eccentrics 96 and 97 are suitably secured on parallel shafts 100- and 101 which shafts are suitably supported in bearings 102.

A suitable supporting structure is provided, consisting of suitable legs 103, supporting beams 104 and braces 105.

The'jig cells and tank are supported with a downward inclination in the direction of flow of the material, as clearly indicated in the' drawings, the eccentric shafts 100 and 101 being horizontal, as also the cradle 10 and screen 15.

The tail discharge wheel cooperates with the tail board of the last jig cell and consists of two discs 106 with interposed body having a plurality of arms, each of which is provided with a cupped recess 107 having a straight radial discharge side 108, the outer ends of the arms being circumferentially broad, This wheel discharges the tailings onto a screen 109 into the hopper ings. The wheel forms an intermittent obstruction to the flow of water and tailings over the tail board.

A centrifugal pump 113 receives the water from tank 112 through a pipe 114 and discharges into the cradle 10 through a pipe 115. The cradle 10 is rocked by means of a crank or eccentric 116 and a connecting rod 117 connecting with the pin 118 secured in the end 58 of the cradle.

A feed chute and hopper 119 feeds'thecrushed -ore into the collar 78 of screen 15, the oversize being discharged from the collar 85 and openings 120 between arms 84, into suitable chutes 121 for recrushing, the sized material which includes all passing through the screen 87 being discharged from the shell 83 over the rim 82 onto a chute 122 'which' discharges into the cradle 10 passing thence through aperture 59 into a chute 123 to the head jig cell 46.

The, operation of the unit is as follows: The various devices are driven at speeds which are proper forthe size of the device and the particular-kind of ore, the usual speed for the'jig ec' centric shafts being about one hundred thirty revolutions per minute, two cooperating eccentrics 96 and 97 being synchronized so as to produce sufficient displacement without excessive stroke, and the various eccentrics on each shaft are equi-angularly spaced, so as to distribute the loadthroughout each revolution. Tank 9 is filled with water until it overflows tail board 124 or the top edge of the arm of the tail wheel, and fills tank 112. Mercury is placed back of each of the bafiles 63, pump 113 andall units are started in operation and crushed ore is fed into hopper 119. The oversize ore travels along the pipes 79 and.

- screen 87 and is discharged through the collar 85 screen and coarser particles passing to the lower corners and being discharged through apertures 43 at intervals, by raising the plugs 52, the gangue and lower grade minerals or minerals of lower specific gravity passing over the tail board into the following cell 47 where further separation is is drawn off as necessary through the and taken to the dump.

The concentrates are occasionally drawn oif through the spigots 27.

The rifiles being made of copper form amalgamated plates with the mercury which provides large amalgamating surface.

It will be noted that a greater settlement is provided to the ore as the segregation takes place at an intermediate level, the cells being substan: tially shallow at the feed end.

gate 111 The tail wheel, during rotation, intermittently obstructs the flow of water and tailings, during the period the outer of each arm is passing the top of the tail board and thereby forms a dam,

the waterand tailings building up and discharging by surges into the pockets in the wheel. I claim:-+ r

1. A jig comprising a tank provided with transverse partitions forming a plurality of compartments, an aligned rectangular recess formed in the top of each partition, a side wall for each side of the aligned recesses, the bottoms of the recesses forming seats, a series of jig cells removably supported on said seats and disposed between said side walls, said side walls and said partitions, and the sides and ends of the tank forming piston compartments, a reciprocating piston in each piston compartment, and discharge means intermittently acting to obstruct the fiow of water and tailings over the tail board of the last of the series of cells, said series of jig cells comprising a base portion formed into a plurality of sections, each section having a screen sloping downwardly from the head end to the tail end and sloping transversely each way from the center whereby the materials of higher specific gravity are collected at the lower corners, means for discharging the material from the lower corners, and a top portion fitting on the lower portion and divided into a plurality of cells by transverse partitions forming tail boards, the face of the tail boards being diagonally tapered from the center to cause movement of the material toward the corners of the cells.

2. A series of jig cells comprising a base portion formed into a plurality of sections, each section having a screen sloping downwardly from the head end to the tail end and sloping transversely each way from the center whereby the materials of higher specific gravity are collected at the lower corners, means for discharging the material from the lower corners, and a top portion fitting on the lower portion and divided into a pluralityof cells by transverse partitions forming tail boards, the face of the tail boards being diagonally tapered from the center to cause movement of the material toward the corners of the cells.

3. A series of jig cells comprising a base portion formed into a plurality of sections, each section having a screen sloping downwardly from the head end to the tail end and sloping transversely each way from the center whereby the materials of higher specific gravity are collected at the lower corners, means for discharging the material from the lower corners, and a top portion fitting on the lower portion and divided into a plurality of cells by transverse partitions forming tail boards, the face of the tail boards being diagonally tapered from the center to cause movement of the material toward the corners of the cells, and discharge means cooperating with the tail board of the last jig cell of the series for transferring tailings and to retard the flow of water and remove the tailings and the water by surges, said discharge means forming an intermittent obstruction against the flow of water and tailings over the tail board.

his CHRISTOPHER LIVINGOOD.

mark

Witness to mark:

HARRY J. LIVINGOOD. 

